Comparison of direct microscopic examination, culture and high-resolution melting analysis performances (PCR-HRM) on corneal scrapings obtained from patients with keratitis.

HRM: high-resolution melting analysis; *: after Giemsa (pH: 7.4) and Grocott staining; POS: Positive; NEG: Negative; FF: Filamentous Fungi; GNR: Gram-negative rods; GPR: Gram-positive rods; GPC: Gram-positive cocci; LY: lymphocytes; AEC: Altered epithelial cells; HSV1: Herpes-simplex virus type 1; HSV2: Herpes-simplex virus type 2; AC: Acanthamoeba; **: DNA was extracted from 6 different individuals and tested separately; ##: controls were extracted and tested for each run; a: The leukocytes from 4 different donors were extracted and tested separately. Air and working surface samples were obtained placing open tubes for 15 minutes under the laminar flow or in the laboratory working table. Surface samples were collected with cotton devices humidified with saline by gentle swabbing the working surface. DNA extraction procedures were conducted in duplicate in each series of experiments for the DNA extraction reactants.